The Phalanger. 
87 
The Opossum may be easily tamed, but is an unplea- 
sant inmate, from its awkward figure and stupidity, and 
its very disagreeable smell. The American Indians spin 
its hair and dye it red, and then weave it into girdles 
and other articles of clothing. The flesh of these 
animals is white and well tasted, and is preferred by the 
Indians to pork : that of the young ones eats very much 
like the sucking-pig. 
THE PHALANGER. (Plialangista vulpina.) 
This animal, which is very common in Australia, has 
some resemblance in its aspect and colour to a fox ; but 
is much smaller. It has a long, furred tail, very dif- 
ferent from that of the opossum. The Phalanger lives 
amongst the branches of the trees, on which it climbs 
about at night with great agility; its food consists 
partly of fruits and partly of small birds, which it easily 
captures during its nocturnal excursions. It is called 
the Opossum by the colonists of Australia. There are 
